Issue: Efficiency

This was a national survey of 1000 voters nationally on climate. This survey polled members on a myriad of different topic areas from clean energy, domestic energy production, oresidential ballot test, political environment to climate change. 

In this webinar, the Lab team is joined by the Regulatory Assistance Project to explore recommendations from the new report Energy Infrastructure: Sources of Inequities and Policy Solutions for Improving Community Health and Wellbeing.
In addition to the report, participants also learn from advocates across the country fighting for an equitable clean energy future. Contributing speakers shared their reflections and lessons learned from a variety of perspectives on what it takes to achieve energy equity, including how they’re financing low-income solar, how they’re growing solar through state-level policy, and how to work in strong coalition.
Contributing speakers include: Donna Brutkoski, Communications Associate, Regulatory Assistance Project; Yesenia Rivera, Director of Energy Equity and Inclusion, Solar United Neighbors; and Jacqueline Hutchinson, Vice President of Operations, People’s Community Action Corporation.

79% of voters are more likely to support a lawmaker who supports policies that encourage renewabl energy options (such as wind, solar, and waste to energy technologies), compared to 51% of voters who are more likely to support a lawmaker who supports policies that encourage the development of more fossil fuel energy, such as coal and oil. 
Voters are most likely (85%) to support a lawmaker who supports legislation that would provide additional ways for home or business owners to finance energy upgrades, such as improved insulation, lighting, or windows. 
77% of voters are more likely to support a lawmaker who wants to change North Carolina’s regulatory policy to allow for more competition and consumer choice. 
A pluarility of voters (38%) see climate change as a “serious problem” and think “immediate action” is necessary. An addiitonal 22% support “some action.” 
60% of voters recognize that the effects of climate change “have already begun to happen” and 59% understand climate change is “mainly the result of manmade pollution.”

A national survey conducted in late August found that:

The coronavirus pandemic has created the urgency to act in a way that climate change hasn’t. 
Despite the fact that voters are less concerned about climate, they still want robust clean energy investments in economic stimulus, seeing that as a great way to create jobs and better than investing in fossil fuels.
Because the urgency to act is already high and voters strongly and broadly support clean energy stimulus, we can still win.
Communications should focus on the need to recover economically from the coronavirus pandemic and the ways clean energy investments can create jobs and growth.
Environmental justice messages should be a part of this: They connect powerfully with communities of color, and there is no apparent backlash effect with white audiences.